


Acceptance

by desdemona_1996_writes



Category: Rumbelle - Fandom, ouat
Genre: A Monthly Rumbelling, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Book Quote Prompt, Book quote, Cheating, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Tumblr Prompts, Unhappy marriage, affair of the heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23937118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desdemona_1996_writes/pseuds/desdemona_1996_writes
Summary: Have you ever had that moment.that single moment that changes everything when you least expected it.when you weren't even looking for it?Belle French had that moment one afternoon while reading a book. a book that would change the way she saw him.Written for a monthly rumbelling.April prompt:Random: “We accept the love we think we deserve.”(quote: Stephen Chbosky)
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Milah/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, mentions of
Kudos: 8





	Acceptance

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I was only going to-do one this month.then, this happened.

Have you ever had that moment, that single moment that changes everything when you least expected it.when you weren't even looking for it.

Belle French had that moment one quiet afternoon while reading a book. a book that would change the way she saw him and his marriage.

Charlie, asks his favorite English teacher one question. "Why do good people sometimes pick mates that treat them like garbage? Well, maybe it's because "we accept the love we think we deserve." It's a pretty wise explanation actually. 

After reading that passage Belle closed the book he was all that she could think about. The quote Described him completely.

She wasn't even looking but there it was, the answer staring her right in the face. why he suddenly turned cold and pulled away from her.it explained so much about him and the wall he built around his heart. suddenly she understood him and his sudden cold demeanor toward her. he believed that he wasn't worthy of her of true love.she had to make him see just how wrong he was.

It had all started with a kiss, a smiple kiss that had turned her little world upside down.

It happened on an ordinary day.Every afternoon they had tea together in his shop. the single chatty and some might call bossy librarian and the shy misunderstood married antiques dealer. they spent the better part of their lunch breaks discussing books and all the places she wanted to travel to someday.and of course the little boy that he adored.they were just merely friends that's what she told herself anyway.despite the heated looks and longing glances.they were just friends depite the fact that she wanted more.

Then the kiss happened.

It happened quite unexpectedly  
one quiet afternoon while she was helping him or more accurately showing him how to catalog his new shipment of books.they were in the back room covered in dust and..she lost her damn mind and kissed him, and not just any kiss.the full on the mouth kind with tongue.and to her glee he hungrily reciprocated.kissing her back she hadn't imagine it.it happened, it was real what they felt for each other was real.

But then afterwards he pulled away.

He had obviously been avoiding her since the kiss happened.she wasn't imagining it. he wouldn't meet her eye when they met by chance at the diner or even on the street.he even went so far as to put an end to their happy lunch hours.abruptly closing his shop every afternoon for lunch. it stung deeply.having the man she loved turn so cold and distance after being so close.sharing so much of each other's Lives.her heart ached with longing.she missed him.

He was married and with a kid she had constantly reminded herself. but, still he wasn't happy.they weren't happy together. and his overbearing wife was hardly being fateful to him.the whole town knew it, she wasn't exactly hiding it either. so why stay in such a unhappy sad situation when there was someone else waiting with open arms to love you.and the answer came of course from a book.because of course he was never going to admit it.the random passage had Filled her with hope. hope that they could be together.

Now she just had to make him see.make him understand that he doesn't have to be alone and miserable anymore. now that he has someone that wants him.loves him just as he is.She just has to show him that she will fight for him.that he's worth fighting for.

So determined not to be ignored this time. Belle marched into his shop as soon as he flipped the closed sign over to open. startling him, Good! 

"Hay." she said in a demanding tone of voice.

"Hay, you..you startled me." he said weakly and looked down at the floor. avoiding making eye contact with her to her Irritation.

"We need to talk." she stated.

"Belle please, I think it's best if we don't just..just let it be." he replied still unable or unwilling to meet her eye.

"Why, why can't we talk about this? we talk about everything." she reasoned.

He nodded his head and looked up at her with his sad dark brown eyes that made her heart melt.

"I'm a married man Belle, I have a family." he said sadly.

"I know, but Neal is hardly a baby anymore.he's practically a teen.and you don't love her.I know that you don't! 

"How, how do you know that!  
he turned to glare at her.

"How could you be so sure, you know Nothing about my marriage." he shook his head at her.

She was slightly taken aback by that but quickly rallied. "but I do, I know you and your not happy! your miserable." 

"I'm not..

"She doesn't love you! She retorted 

"Belle please, I'm sorry if I..I never meant too..he stuttered unable to Finish a sentence. shaking his head he gave her a pleading look.wordlessly begging her to understand.to let the thing between them die.

But she couldn't.she wouldn't,

she wasn't going to let him off that easy.

"I love you! she said reaching for him when he pulled away as if burned,

"No, he shook his head.Belle you mustn’t say such things." 

"Why? she asked not backing down. she boldly stepped closer to him.

"Because you don't mean it, you can't mean it." he replied.

"But I do, I love you! I love you." she said invading his personal space and tentatively touched his face.

"Oh Belle." he closed his eyes and lent into her touch.resting his cheek against her palm.

She softly light as a Feather brushed her lips against his when he pulled away from her.

"I'm sorry, sorry.I can't! he pleaded. backing away from her.Please Belle."

"Don't push me away, stay with me." she reached for him when he put his hands up in surrender.

"You should go." he said putting back up the wall up between them.

Pushing her to the breaking point, “She's cheating on you with every guy in the Rabbit hole! and everyone knows it. Except you! she shouted at him.

He flinched and looked at her as if she had Struck him.

"Thank you Belle for rubbing my nose in it, I hadn't realized that my personal matters had become open to public gossip." 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean...

"Enough Belle, you've said Enough." he said dismissing her and strode into the backroom. 

"Wait! she chased after him. I'm sorry I didn't mean..please don't shut me out." 

"Were done, he said.now please leave my shop." 

"Your a coward, you stay with her only because your afraid to let me in.I know you love me you can't deny how you feel about me." she zealous retorted.

"I'm not leaving my family for you." he said.

"What are you afraid of? she asked.

"You will leave, you'll get tired of me. want someone younger handsomer then me and you will leave me." he weakly explained.

"Do you really think so little of me." she asked hurt by his words.

"Your right, i'am afraid.I'm too old to just start over Belle. I have my son to think of. if I took the risk the cost is just too high.and in the end I still will lose you no matter what I do. I will lose you."

"Best to part as friends then cause all that heartache." he weakly stated.

She shook her head. "you silly coward, your so wrong.you won't lose me I will never leave you.do you really think so little of me, of us?

He just looked down at the table between them unable to face her.

Making a noise of exasperation she was exhausted by those damn walls! he put up between them.keeping her at a distance. what the hell did she have to do to brake through! how could she prove to him that she wouldn't hurt him the way that woman did.why was he choosing her over her,

She needed the answer from him.she turned back to him looking him dead in the eye.

"Why her and not me? she asked unable to keep the hurt out of her voice.

"Oh Belle, were alike her and I.we make sense. your nothing like us. your everything good and pure in this world." he replied. 

"pure sunshine in a mini skirt." he said with a smirk and she smiled despite her heartache.

"I'm not that innocent." she said giving him a look.

He returned her heady stare and licked his lips.the tension Building between them. when the bell above the shop door rang and they heard Neal’s voice call out.

"Hay dad, I got out of school early." 

"Can I go over to the darlings house for dinner tonight? he asked as he entered the backroom.

"Of crouse son." he quickly replied.

"Hi Belle." Neal said.

"Hello Neal, how was school?  
she asked.

"Ok, I guess." he shrugged his shoulder in a way that reminded her of his father.

"I should go." she said and he nodded his head. she was admitting defeat.their love affair was ending before it had even began. she was heart sick. with a watery smile she left his shop for the last time she decided.

That night she crawled into ball in her bed and cried herself to sleep.Her heart broken. the paperback addition of The Perks of Being a Wallflower sat on her nightstand.

Belle woke up the next morning with the words. ‘once you find something that's worth fighting for.you never give up’ whirling around in her head.reaching for her book she again turned to that chapter. Re-reading the quote again hopeful.she wouldn't give up on him.

That afternoon Belle returned to his shop watching him play with son through the glass.losing her nerve she bookmarked the page with the quotation and slid it through the mail slot.

The next day at their usual lunch hour he walked through the library doors as she hoped he would.

He was carrying a to go bag from the dinner.She looked up at and smiled noting that he was also holding the book.

"Hay." she said.

"Hay." he replied.

"What are you doing here?  
she asked.

"I thought maybe we could have lunch together if you wanted, talk." he said with a shy smile.

"I'd love that." she replied with a beaming smile.

"Hamburgers and fry’s? she asked and he nodded his head in reply.

"My favorite.” she said.

"I know." 

"I read your book, well the part that you so kindly highlighted." he began And opened the book turning to her bookmark.

“We accept the love we think we deserve.” He recited and they sheared a look. both realizing that like the simple kiss in his shop this simple lunch would change everything between them.


End file.
